1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in or relating to conveyers. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with chain conveyers wherein the chains include chain rollers and carrier rollers and the chain rollers are supported on runner tracks which, in turn, are supported by one or several support members. The carrier rollers of the chain are arranged between the pertaining chain rollers and rotatable relative thereto.
Such chain conveyers utilize chains which are equipped with various rows of rollers. The lower, return, rollers then become the chain rollers per se, and the upper rollers carry the items to be transported in the fashion of carrier rollers in a manner comparable to non-powered roller conveyers or roller beds. Among other purposes, such conveyers are employed in the assembly line operations. In the normal situation the transport of items to be transported is by rolling friction alone. However, when there occurs an accumulation of items to be transported, the upper rolls rotate with respect to the chain rollers, due to which there is only exerted a relatively minor accumulation-pressure on the material to be transported. This means that during normal operation there would not occur a relative movement between the items to be transported and the carrier rollers. Only should there occur an accumulation or similar bottleneck in the operation, the chain will continue to circulate and moves beneath the material to be transported with its rollers.
The chain rollers of the chain are generally supported on carriers, yokes or similar support members, which are equipped with runner tracks. In most cases single or double stranded systems are used in combination.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore the supports for the chain rollers were provided, for example, by simple sheet metal components, whereby a horizontal section of such component would be in the form of a roller track. The disadvantage then arises that these sheet metal components would be subjected to considerable bending, particularly when transporting heavy items, which could lead to jamming and a high wear. When the roller tracks became worn, the entire support had to be removed and replaced by a new one which gave rise to undesireable down times of the conveyer assembly.